Dean Lee field day set for Aug. 5

Jul 26, 2010

The LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Field Day will be held Aug. 5 with field tours starting at 9 a.m. Experts will give overviews on their work with corn, cotton, soybeans and cattle.

The event in years past had been held in the afternoon. “This year we decided to alter the schedule to avoid the heat of the day,” said Allen Nipper, director of the LSU AgCenter’s Central Region. “This will allow for a more comfortable event and give participants more time with researchers after the tour.”

The Dean Lee Research Station is adjacent to the LSU-Alexandria campus on U.S. Highway 71 south of Alexandria. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the DeWitt Livestock Facility followed by a field tour. Among the topics to be covered:

• Weed management Louisiana row crops

Discussion will include advantages of soil-applied residual herbicides for early-season weed management in Louisiana soybeans.

• Cotton and soybean agronomy research and corn breeding project

Discussion will include topics related to cotton and soybean variety adaptation, interactions between row spacings and plant populations, and the Louisiana Official Variety Trials. A brief introduction to a breeding project to develop corn inbred lines with resistance to the production of aflatoxin will be given. Dr. Trey Koger, Mississippi Extension Soybean specialist, will discuss issues related to soybean seed quality including variety differences and fungicide applications.

• Cotton and soybean Extension agronomic practice

Discussion will include the effects of plant growth regulator application on recently released cotton varieties and the LibertyLink soybean weed management system.

• Monitoring of agronomic Best Management Practices

Discussion will include an update of the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, monitoring programs located at LSU AgCenter research stations, and the benefits of best-management-programs, water quality, and sustainability. Also on the agenda: wheat stubble management research study that is currently underway at the Dean Lee station; and fertility issues — specifically iron deficiency and salt toxicity problems in Louisiana soybean.

• Considerations for beef cattle production in Louisiana

Discussion will include the influence of genetics to resistance/susceptibility of certain cattle diseases and assessment of breed and breed crosses related to cow reproduction and calf survival; new and emerging genetic markers by DNA analyses of cattle populations; and assessments of hair coat luster and hair length and its relation to productivity.

• Insect and disease management in Louisiana soybeans

Discussion will include insect management in Louisiana soybean including insecticides and scouting techniques, disease management and scouting techniques.